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WESTERN LANE DISTRICT 2016 ANNUAL OPERATIONS PLAN

OVERVIEW

This overview describes the planned activities that Oregonians can expect to see on Oregon

Department of Forestry (ODF) managed land located in Lane County, Oregon. The ODF managed

land in Lane County differs from other state forest districts in that it is smaller (26,000 acres) and

the ownership pattern is fragmented into numerous small blocks. This ‘fragmented’ ownership

pattern is common to all landowner types in Western Lane county – both public and private.

Managing forestland on smaller fragmented parcels can offer unique challenges, however there is

still ample opportunity to provide a mixture of environmental, economic and social benefits to the

citizens of Oregon.

The Western Lane Annual Operations Plan (AOP) is divided into five major categories: Integrated

Forest Management, Planning Activities, Information Systems, Public Information and Education,

Administration, and Appendices. Specific details for items in each of these categories are described

using a combination of tables and written narratives. The intent of this overview is to briefly

summarize some of the items identified in the five categories so that the reader can more efficiently

review the proposed activities in the 2016 AOP.

Over the next two months, ODF will request review and comments on our plan from others,

including Lane County Commissioners, the Forest Trust Land Advisory Committee (representing

the counties that deeded land to ODF), the State Forests Advisory Committee (SFAC - composed of

Oregonians representing many interests), Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, the US Fish and

Wildlife Service, recreationalists, and wildlife advocates, as well as Oregonians in general.

During this time, we want to hear your feedback, suggested revisions. In addition, any thank you

messages to staff and volunteers are welcomed and appreciated. Thanks in advance for your review

and engagement.

A short summary of activities planned for the coming year:

Conducting vegetation management activities on approximately 300 acres.

Planting 140,000 seedlings on approximately 350 acres.

Continuing ‘early detection, rapid response’ strategy for invasive species control.

Proposing to harvest 7.2 MMBF on 164 acres with an estimated net revenue of $2,500,000.

Constructing 1.8 miles of new roads.

Improving 4.6 miles of existing roads.

Removing legacy culvert that is currently a partial blockage to fish passage.

Continuing to improve or maintain haul routes to ensure ditch water is dispersed and filtered as

much as possible, keeping runoff from entering streams.

Providing personal firewood cutting opportunities to the members of the surrounding

community.

Conducting approximately 126 marbled murrelet survey visits.

Conducting monitoring surveys on 9 northern spotted owl sites.

Conducting operational and/or spot check spotted owl surveys on approximately 20 timber sales.

Protecting and improving stream habitat through the application of FMP riparian strategies and

potential placement of in-stream large woody debris.

Improving or developing wildlife habitat by creating snags, retaining green trees in clearcut areas,

and leaving down wood.

Planning for and preparing for the 2017 AOP.

WESTERN LANE DISTRICT

2016 ANNUAL OPERATIONS PLAN

WESTERN LANE 2016 ANNUAL OPERATIONS PLAN 2 VERSION 1.0 – DRAFT

TABLES OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION ....................................................................... 4

INTEGRATED FOREST MANAGEMENT OPERATIONS ...... 5

Timber Harvest Operations ...................................................................... 5

Overview of Timber Harvest Operations ..................................................... 5

Minor Landscape Design Modifications ...................................................... 7

Summary of Timber Harvest Operations .................................................... 7

Forest Roads Management ...................................................................... 9

Overview ....................................................................................................... 9

Road Construction ....................................................................................... 9

Road Improvement ...................................................................................... 9

Road Access Management ......................................................................... 9

Road Maintenance ..................................................................................... 10

Land Surveying .......................................................................................... 10

Young Stand Management ..................................................................... 10

Site Preparation .......................................................................................... 10

Planting ....................................................................................................... 11

Vegetation Management ........................................................................... 11

Tree Protection ........................................................................................... 11

Pre-commercial Thinning ........................................................................... 11

Fertilization .................................................................................................. 12

Recreation Management ......................................................................... 12

Overview of Recreation Management ...................................................... 12

Facilities (Campgrounds, View Points, Trail Heads, etc.) ........................ 12

Trails ............................................................................................................ 12

Land Exchange ......................................................................................... 12


Other Integrated Forest Management Operations .............................. 12

Planning (and Information Systems) ................................... 14

Stand Level Inventory and Other Vegetation Inventories ........................ 14

Fish and Wildlife Surveys ........................................................................... 14

Other Planning Operations ........................................................................ 15

Public Information and Education ....................................... 15

Administration ....................................................................... 15

Appendixes............................................................................ 16

A. Forest Land Management Classification Update ……………………

B. Summary Tables………………………………………………….……....

C. AOP Maps..........................……………………………….………...…..

D. Consultation with Other State Agencies…………………...………..

E. Public Involvement………………………………………………………

F. Pre-Operations Reports………………………………………………...



2016 ANNUAL OPERATIONS PLAN

INTRODUCTION This annual operations plan (AOP) covers the State Forest Land managed by the Western Lane District for Fiscal Year 2016 (FY16), which begins July 1, 2015 and ends June 30, 2016. This document describes how the activities and projects undertaken by the district will achieve the goals, strategies, and objectives of the NW Oregon Forest Management Plan (FMP) and the Western Lane District Implementation Plan (IP). Refer to the district IP for more specific information on the history, physical characteristics, and other resource information on the district.

The summary document of the AOP is divided into five major categories: Integrated Forest Management, Planning and Information Systems, Public Information and Education, Administration, and Appendices.

The proposed harvest operations are planned to be auctioned for sale during the FY16 time period. The actual on-the-ground operations will likely not occur during FY16 due to the time lag associated with contract duration, which could be one to three years after auction. In contrast, reforestation, young stand management, recreation management, and planning activities will be carried out during the FY16 time period.

A 45-day public comment period is being held and started on approximately March 23, 2015. The District Forester will consider the comments received during this period and make any changes or modifications that he determines are necessary, prior to approving the AOP.

The accomplish of forest management activities that occurred under previous AOPs can be found in several reports, including the “State Forester’s Annual Report for the Association of Oregon Counties, the “Common School Forest Lands Annual Report”, and the individual district annual reports (these reports also cover the accomplishments of the Fire Protection and Private Forests Programs). These reports are available through the local district office or through the internet at: http://www.oregon.gov/odf/Pages/state_forests/state_forests.aspx#Annual_Reports


INTEGRATED FOREST MANAGEMENT OPERATIONS

Timber Harvest Operations

Overview of Timber Harvest Operations

The planned timber harvest operations are within the total acres objective in the Western Lane District IP. Activities in the AOP will allow for stands to be moved toward complex structure and contribute revenue to the counties with the overall objective of 4 - 8 MMBF.

The FY16 harvest operations are estimated to generate gross revenues of approximately $2,837,000 and net revenues of $2,553,000. It is estimated that active management will result in producing approximately 7.2 million board feet of volume. In addition to the above revenue and volume, some sales are expected to have pulp removed from sale areas. The amount and value of pulp is difficult to predict during planning process but will likely occur in areas of regeneration harvest on steep slopes and whole tree yarding systems. This material also has potential for use in biomass operations. Refer to the attached Financial Summary table for more detail on volumes and values. Table 1 compares the proposed acres by harvest type1 in this AOP to the harvest acre ranges specified in the IP. Total planned acres in this AOP are 164 net acres (approximately 0.6% of the district’s total acreage) which achieves the annual volume objective. Harvest activities in this AOP consist of 0% partial cuts and 100% regeneration harvest. The anticipated harvest acres, volume, and revenue for each proposed operation in this AOP are listed in the “Harvest Operations – Financial Summary” table in Appendix B, while a vicinity map of these harvest operations can be found in Appendix C. Table 1. Annual Operations Plan objectives compared to annual objectives identified in the Western Lane District Implementation Plan. All values are in net acres.

Silvicultural Activity IP Annual Objective

Low High 2016 AOP Objective

Partial Cut Harvest 0 500 0 Regeneration Harvest 0 280 164

1 The definitions of the harvest types used to describe timber harvesting on State Forests can be found on the State Forests website under Forest Management and Planning. Briefly, a Modified Clearcut is the most common of three type of Regeneration Harvest (or clearcut) that may occur on State Forests. The defining characteristics of Modified Clearcuts are that they meet the structural component standards of the FMP (green tree, snag, and down wood).

All of the Primary and Alternate harvest operations and many of the other forest management activities have been review by ODF’s wildlife biologists, aquatic specialist, geotechnical engineers, road engineer, and operations coordinator, as well as fish and wildlife biologists from the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. Information on operations that occur within the provincial circle of a northern spotted owl has been provided to the US Fish and Wildlife Service. Occasionally, operations may contain a resource or activity where review with another state agency, such as the Department of Agriculture or


the Department of State Lands, is warranted. Written comments from the external resource specialists and the resolution of those comments can be found in Appendix D. Some smaller additional operations targeting infrastructure maintenance will also produce timber volume during the 2016 fiscal year. These small operations are not included as part of the AOP because they affect a very small area, produce little volume or revenue, and do not require significant effort to develop and execute. For example, in the past we have auctioned salvage sales for small quantities of blown down timber located in an area with reasonable operational access. Other examples may include the removal of hazard trees next to neighboring residences or public roads. These sales will be less than $100,000 in value and comply with all policies and plans. Be aware that only limited reconnaissance has been conducted on the proposed FY 2016 sales and that boundaries, volumes, and prescriptions may be modified as field work progresses. Plus, winter storms may cause blowdown that will need to be salvaged in lieu of preparing some of the operations listed. Structural habitat components such as green trees, snags and down woody debris (DWD) are described in Chapter 4 of the NW FMP and may be considered for all harvest prescriptions; however, the emphasis will be placed on regeneration harvest. The green tree retention target for regeneration harvest units is five trees per acre. Green tree arrangements for this AOP include; scattered individual trees, clumps of trees, and trees concentrated in and adjacent to riparian management areas. The FMP strategy for hard snags is to manage for at least two per acre on average across the landscape. The need for snag creation for regeneration sales is evaluated on a sale by sale basis. The FMP strategy for Down Woody Debris is to retain an average of 600 to 900 cubic feet of hard conifer logs (class 1 & 2) per acre during regeneration harvest. Opportunities for natural recruitment of snags and DWD is created by laminated root rot disease (Phellinus weirii). In severe cases of root rot, we attempt to retard the spread of the disease by cutting out the infected trees. In other cases we do not cut out the infected trees. This allows the disease to spread at a rate of approximately one foot per year, slowly adding snags and DWD to the stand. Whether laminated root rot is treated or untreated, we know from experience that additional trees will be infected by the disease, creating snags and eventually DWD. Within a given annual operations plan, snags and DWD may be retained at higher levels in some units and at lower levels in other units, with the intent of achieving the landscape targets outlined in the Forest Management Plan strategies. Post-harvest DWD results can be attributed to natural recruitment from green tree retention, residual logging slash, and tree topping. In order to protect water quality during active operations, a variety of methods will be used to prevent sediment from entering live streams. These methods include (but are not limited to) maintaining culverts and other road drainage structures, using sediment control devices in road ditches when necessary, and seasonal restrictions on logging and hauling operations. Culvert installment and replacement in live streams will be


conducted between July 1 and Aug. 31. Operations outside of this period will be reviewed with ODFW. Riparian management areas result in leave trees adjacent to the stream which protect stream temperature, provide nutrients, protect stream banks, and eventually provide wood to improve fish habitat. Minor Landscape Design Modifications

There are not minor or major landscape design proposals in this the FY16 AOP Summary of Timber Harvest Operations

Please note that the Western Lane district is considered one basin. Table 2. Summary of Timber Harvest Operations. All values are in net acres.

District 2016 AOP Partial Cut Regeneration

Western Lane (all land managed by the Western Lane district is considered one basin) 0 164

Aha Pataha: One unit totaling 81 net acres of modified clearcut in 74 year old Douglas-fir. Six trees per acre will be retained to provide future snags, downed wood, and structure. . Trees will be left in and/or adjacent to riparian areas and scattered in the unit. About 0.5 miles of rocked spur will be constructed and 0.8 miles improved to better access the sale area. In addition, an approximate 50 year old culvert located in Cattle Creek will be removed. The removal of this legacy culvert will potentially increase fish passage opportunities for species such as Coho salmon, steelhead and cutthroat trout. The entire sale is designated as desired future condition ‘General’.

Bulmer 16: One unit totaling 54 net acres of modified clearcut in a 79 year old stand of Douglas-fir and western hemlock. Seven trees per acre will be retained to provide future snags, downed wood, and structure. Trees will be left in green tree retention areas, in and/or adjacent to riparian areas and scattered in the unit. 0.4 miles of rocked spur will be constructed to access the sale area. The entire sale is designated as desired future condition ‘General’.

Wildcat Overlook: One unit totaling 29 net acres of modified clearcut in 79 year old mixed

conifer and hardwood stand. Seven trees per acre will be retained to provide future snags, downed wood, and structure. Trees will be left in the riparian areas and scattered in clumps or individually within the unit. Portions of the sale area are visible to westbound travelers on Highway 126. The visual effects of the harvest will be considered when choosing the location of the leave trees. About 0.9 miles of rocked spur will be constructed to better access the sale area. Entire sale is designated as desired future condition ‘General’.

Barber North (Alternate Sale): One unit totaling 49 net acres of modified clearcut in 71

year old mixed conifer and hardwood stand. Six trees per acre will be retained to provide future snags, downed wood, and structure. Trees will be left in retention areas, in the


riparian areas, and scattered in the unit. About 0.4 miles of rocked spur will be constructed to better access the sale area. Entire sale is designated as desired future condition ‘General’.

GM Thin (Alternate Sale): One unit totaling 142 net acres of a moderate thinning in 43

year old Douglas-fir. Thinning will be “from below” where the objective is to capture mortality and improve future stand growth. Approximately 0.4 miles of road will constructed and 0.3 miles will be improved to better access the sale area.

Skinny Bear (Alternate Sale): Four units totaling 124 net acres. Two of the four units (24

acres) are proposed modified clearcuts located in 79 year old timber. The other two units (100 acres) are moderate thinnings located in 42 year old timber. In the modified clearcut units, six trees per acre will be retained to provide for future snags and structure. Said trees will be left scattered across the unit and/or left in green tree retention areas. In the moderate thinning, trees will be thinned from below with an objective to capture mortality and increase future stand growth. Approximately 0.1 miles of road will constructed and 1.7 miles of road will be improved to access the sale area.

Speed Walker (Alternate Sale): One unit totaling 41 net acres of modified clearcut in 76

year old conifer stand. Six trees per acre will be retained to provide future snags, downwood, and structure. Majority of leave trees will be left in, or adjacent to, the riparian areas and in a green tree retention area. 0.2 miles rocked spur will be constructed and 0.2 miles of existing road will be improved to access the sale area. The new construction will connect the Walker Point road system with the Tilden Ridge road system. Connecting these road systems will create a more efficient transportation network. All areas are in locations designated as desired future condition ‘General’.

Tilden Two (Alternate Sale): One unit totaling 72 net acres of modified clearcut in 64 year

old mixed conifer and hardwood stand. Seven trees per acre will be retained to provide future snags, downed wood, and structure. Trees will be left in retention areas, in or adjacent to the riparian areas, and scattered in the unit. About 0.04 miles of rocked spur will be constructed to better access the sale area. Entire sale is designated as desired future condition ‘General’.

Walker Tie (Alternate Sale): Two units totaling 35 net acres of modified clearcut in 77

year old conifer stand. In Area 1, 6 trees per acre will be retained to provide future snags, downwood, and structure. In Area 2, 7 trees per acre will be retained. Majority of leave trees will be left in, or adjacent to, the riparian areas and in a green tree retention area. No new road construction is anticipated for this sale. All areas are in locations designated as desired future condition ‘General’.


Forest Roads Management

Overview

The Forest Roads Manual 2000 describes the vision, guiding principles and practices for road construction and maintenance on ODF managed forest land. This AOP describes five categories of road management activities: Construction, improvement, closure/vacation, maintenance, and rock pit development. Western Lane roads are designed and used to conduct forest management activities. The public should exercise care when driving these roads for other purposes. Refer to Summary Table A – 4 for the Forest Roads Summary for the 2016 AOP. Road Construction

Only limited reconnaissance has been conducted on the proposed FY 2016 sales. Locations and costs may change as field work progresses. Approximately 1.8 miles of road will be constructed. These spurs will be located primarily on ridge tops in stable locations away from streams. Aha Pataha: 0.5 miles Bulmer 16: 0.4 miles Wildcat Overlook: 0.9 miles Road Improvement

This AOP proposed to improve approximately 4.6 miles of road. Improvement activities will consist mostly of re-surfacing and drainage improvement. All of these roads are rocked. Aha Pataha: 1.9 miles Bulmer 16: 2.7 miles Wildcat Overlook: 0.0 miles Road Access Management

Rocked roads are not normally vacated since we want to keep these roads open for forest management purposes, fire protection, and public recreation. Most ODF-controlled roads are ridgetop with little potential for sediment to enter streams. ODF possesses permanent easements or reciprocal road use agreements on the access routes for the Aha Pataha, Bulmer 16, and Wildcat Overlook operations. Some permanent easements or reciprocal agreements may require separate License Agreements that identify maintenance responsibilities and their associated costs.


ODF controlled roads are usually kept open for public use. However, we retain the option of gating if vandalism, neighbor concerns, or excessive road damage from public use becomes a problem in particular areas. Road Maintenance

Roads will be maintained as necessary to protect water quality and the road system asset value. Road maintenance is accomplished by timber sale purchasers, through R/W agreements, and by contracting road maintenance. In addition, small amounts of roadside herbicide applications are done by District personnel or private contractors. The District does not own heavy equipment such as graders, dozers, or backhoes. On roads not being actively used for timber hauling, the District practices a low level of maintenance by maintaining drainage and keeping encroaching vegetation in check. This keeps roads open in order to conduct forest management activities and maintains access for fire protection. No attempt is made to maintain smooth running surfaces. In some instances, rather than incurring the expense of continuously pulling ditches, drive-thru waterbars are combined with outsloping to minimize surface erosion caused by water running down wheel tracks caused by public use.

During periodic road inspections and in the course of normal forestry work we look for areas with potential sidecast failures. If found, fixing these areas will be done as part of timber sale contracts or more immediately as separate road maintenance contracts, depending upon the recommendation of the Area geotechnical engineer.

Land Surveying

Approximately 1.0 miles of surveys are anticipated during this planning cycle. Said property lines are for proposed operations identified in this AOP.

Young Stand Management

Refer to Summary Table A – 5 to review the Reforestation and Young Stand Management Summary for the 2016 AOP. Site Preparation

Site preparation is the activity to create planting spots and/or reduce brush cover to allow planted seedlings and natural seedlings to become established. Site preparation may include slash burning, slash and brush piling, or herbicide treatment. Vine maple, bigleaf maple, salal, and salmonberry are the primary competing species in most areas. Each completed unit will be evaluated for site preparation needs. At this time we are proposing the following site preparation activities:


Approximately 301 acres may be ground sprayed. These acres are located in the Green Light, Gall, Millacoma LO and Wolf Creek timber sales. Slash burning or piling may also occur in areas where feasible.

Planting

Tree planting operations are conducted for various reasons. These include meeting Forest Practices Laws, quickly establishing a new stand of trees after timber harvesting, and increasing species diversity in the area and across the landscape. All clearcut units are planted with a mix of conifer with Douglas-fir the primary species. Approximately 415 trees per acre will be planted. About 301 acres of initial planting is anticipated.

Interplanting is used to raise stocking in young plantations that are below acceptable levels, to a minimum of 300 trees per acre. Surveys are conducted one and two years after initial planting to determine interplanting needs. Where necessary, interplanting is done the following winter. During the spring and fall of 2015 surveys will be conducted to determine interplanting needs for the 2016 planting season. 75 acres are currently planned, but it is likely that we will conduct interplant operations based on stocking survey results. Vegetation Management

In some cases, a few years after plantation establishment, competing vegetation threatens the survival of planted seedlings. Competing vegetation is usually salmonberry and vine maple. Excess red alder and/or bigleaf maple may also need to be controlled.

About 173 acres of modified clearcuts in western Lane County may be release sprayed in order to reduce the amount of competition between the existing brush and the seedlings. Tree Protection

Planted conifer is sometimes clipped off by mountain beavers. In other areas deer or elk may bite off the tips. Occasionally the District may encase seedlings in plastic mesh tubes for protection. The district has not trapped mountain beavers, but may consider doing so in heavily populated areas.

No tree protection or trapping is planned. However, examination this summer may show that seedling protection is necessary in some areas.

Pre-commercial Thinning

The district is not planning to precommercially thin (PCT) this fiscal year. There may be limited opportunities for PCT operations if funding became available through increased revenue or grant funds. A detailed review of PCT candidates will take place if funding becomes available. It is estimated that even if there was adequate funding, the Western Lane District would PCT less than 100 acres.


Fertilization

No fertilization activities are planned for this AOP.

Recreation Management

Overview of Recreation Management

ODF-managed land in Lane County is scattered and not adjacent to areas of high recreational interest. However, State land has a low level of hunting and backroad driving. Our timber sale activities increase forage for big game and grouse, and our road building improves recreational access. Facilities (Campgrounds, View Points, Trail Heads, etc.)

No recreation facilities exist on ODF managed land in Lane County. Trails

No recognized trails exist on ODF managed land in Lane County.

Land Exchange

There are no land exchanges planned at this time. In addition, there are no known Department of State Lands (aka Common School Land) parcel sales or desertification of lands managed in the Western Lane District. It should be known though, that DSL land sales are decisions made by DSL, not ODF and said parcel sales may occur within the planning timeline of this AOP. Therefore, a DSL parcel sale may occur within FY 2016 without being identified in this AOP. At this time the district does not have an approved land exchange plan. District personnel may commence the preparation of a land exchange plan should time allow.

Other Integrated Forest Management Operations

District Firewood Cutting Program Purpose: The primary objective of the District Firewood Cutting Program is to provide a source of firewood from State Forests to the public for personal use and secondarily to reduce fuel hazards, protect crop trees, improve visibility along roads, and provide a recreational opportunity. The District’s Firewood Cutting Program is tied to the completion of timber sales. Timber sale contracts require any non-merchantable wood or cull material that has been yarded to the landing and is suitable for firewood to be placed in a pile. Purchasers of BOF lands timber sales are using more of the branches and materials left after trees are


harvested, so opportunities for personal firewood cutting may be limited. In addition, many of the completed timber sales are located in areas that do not have public access, which also reduces firewood availability. State Forests are managed for multiple benefits, and snags, downed wood and stumps are important habitat components under our Forest Management Plan. Any individual gathering firewood on State Forests land should follow the permit instructions, consult the permit maps and personnel at their local ODF office to ensure they remain on State Forests land. Property lines are frequently unmarked and any permission obtained from ODF to gather firewood is only valid on State Forests land. Harvesting firewood without the landowner's permission is trespass. Firewood is a high-risk vector for wood-boring insects, such as emerald ash borer and Asian longhorned beetle, two species responsible for widespread defoliation of forests in Midwest and Eastern states. The Oregon Invasive Weed Council and ODF encourage people to obtain their firewood in a place as close as possible to the place where it will be burned. Recreationists have a role in protecting the forests by not moving firewood great distances. The district rules for firewood cutting and the process for obtaining firewood cutting permits is described below. When: The public will be notified of firewood cutting permits by posting notices at the district office, in the field and/or at nearby public areas such as bulletin boards at local markets. Notices may also be posted on the district’s external website (http://www.oregon.gov/ODF/westernlane/). Permits will only be issued during the months outside the fire season. Fire season is generally from July 1st through October 15th. The availability and duration of each permit will be determined by the State Forest Unit Forester on a case by case basis. Items considered may include, but are not limited to: access, quantity of firewood, management goals, resource and infrastructure protection, and workload management. Who: A limited number of personal firewood cutting permits will be issued to the public, on a first come-first served basis. The permit is valid for two chords and shall not be transferred to another party and shall not be used to sell firewood to another party. Oregon Department of Forestry does not guarantee the quality or availability of wood when issuing firewood cutting permits. Exceptions to the two cord limit may be made for non-profit organizations, with prior district authorization. Where: Designated firewood cutting areas will be marked on the permit map, which excludes active and sold timber sales, recreation sites, and planned operations. There is no guarantee that units or travel routes will be posted in the field. How: Enforcement of firewood cutting permits will be accomplished by law enforcement officers and following the Firewood Cutting Guidance described in 12.2.G1.2.2. Additional firewood cutting permit requirements and guidelines may be provided with the permit.


Planning (and Information Systems) Below are the significant district-level planning projects currently scheduled for FY 2016. Stand Level Inventory and Other Vegetation Inventories

Stand level inventory (SLI) efforts may take place on the district during the 2016 fiscal year. These efforts may be accomplished using the combined efforts of contracts administered by Salem staff and in-house work conducted by district personnel. Fish and Wildlife Surveys

Western Lane District has a very active spotted owl and marbled murrelet survey program. We typically survey 5 to 10 current and potential sale areas each year for spotted owls under ODF contracts or in cooperation with federal agencies. In addition, Northern Spotted Owl activity centers that affect State land are monitored. Marbled murrelet surveys are conducted annually on about 5 potential sale areas. The District will conduct physical surveys for unknown streams. Forest Practices data and personal knowledge are also used for sale planning. Table 3. Summary of Surveys for Threatened and Endangered Species

Operation Species1

(NSO/MM) Survey Years2

BA3 Required

Special Considerations

Aha Pataha NSO 13 - 15 Yes Aha Pataha MM 11 & 12 No Bulmer 16 NSO 13 - 15 Yes Bulmer 16 MM 11 - 13 No Wildcat Overlook NSO 13 - 15 Yes Wildcat Overlook MM 11 &12 No Barber North NSO 13 -15 Yes Barber North MM 12 & 13 No GM Thin NSO 13 - 15 No GM Thin MM 13 & 14 No Skinny Bear NSO 13 - 15 No Skinny Bear MM 11 & 12 No Speed Walker NSO 13 - 15 Yes Speed Walker MM NA No Tilden Two NSO 13 - 15 Yes Tilden Two MM 10 & 11 No Walker Tie NSO 13 - 15 Yes Walker Tie MM 13 & 14 No

1 Surveys are conducted according to accepted protocols when habitat for the specific species is determined to be present. NSO – northern spotted owl, MM – marbled murrelet.


2 Years that surveys have been completed or are planned. 3 A Biologic Assessment is required for this operation due to the presence of NSO or MM in the vicinity of the operation. Other Planning Operations

Preparing the 2017 Annual Operations Plan. Preparation efforts include reconnoitering operations, developing pre-operation reports, and preparing T&E surveys. District personnel will continue to contribute to the development of the Alternative Northwest Oregon State Forest Management Plan (AFMP) process. In addition, district personnel may commence an Implementation Plan revision assuming the AFMP is completed during the early part of FY16. The district may commence the preparation of a land exchange plan. The development of a land exchange plan will be determined by the availability of staff.

Public Information and Education Public information and involvement will include public review and comments on the 2016 AOP. In addition, informal public review and comment on all district State Forests management activities on an ongoing basis is expected and welcomed.

Administration There are currently four full time foresters (State Forests Unit Manager, Natural Resources Specialist 2, and two Natural Resource Specialist 1’s) in the Western Lane District State Forests program. The NRS 2 also acts as the computer systems and GIS specialist for all District programs. The four foresters perform all the tasks normally handled by engineering, marketing, reforestation/young stand management, GIS, T&E, and planning specialists in the larger districts. The State Forests budget partially funds the District Forester, Office Manager and Receptionist/Dispatcher. Since there is no Assistant District Forester, the State Forests Unit Manager is responsible for the State Forests portion of that position.

Unit Forester

Ole Buch

Natural Resource Spec 2

Jason Hayzlett


Chad Howard


Nikolai Hall


APPENDIXES

A. Forest Land Management Classification Update

B. Summary Tables

C. AOP Maps

D. Consultation with Other State Agencies

A summary of the consultation with other state agencies will be included in the approved AOP.

E. Public Involvement A summary of the public comment process, including comments received, will be included in the approved AOP.

F. Pre-Operations Reports Pre-operations reports available upon request.


Appendix A

Changes to Forest Land Management Classification The Forest Land Management Classification (FLMC) is a method of describing the management emphasis of parcels of state forest land. The management emphasis identifies the extent to which a parcel of land can be managed for a variety of forest resources. It also identifies when a particular forest resource may need a more focused approach in its management, or possibly an exclusive priority in its management. The framework of the FLMC places all state forest land within one of four land management classifications. The classifications are: 1 - General Stewardship, 2 – Focused Stewardship, 3 – Special Stewardship, and 4 – High Value Conservation Area. Subclasses are assigned for the specific forest resources that require a Focused Stewardship, Special Use, or High Value Conservation Area Classification. There are no major FLMC modifications proposed in this AOP. The tables in this Appendix show the current acreages in each class and subclass on the Western Lane District.

Table 1. Western Lane District Acres, by Stewardship Class and Fund*

Classification BOF CSL Total Acres

Focused Stewardship 19740 483 20223

Special Use 398 3 401

High Value Conservation Area 3081 31 3112

General Stewardship 7549 526 8075

Table 2. Forest Land Management Classifications for Western Lane District – Focused and Special Subclasses (Acres)

Focused Stewardship

Special Use

High Value Conservation

Area

Administrative Sites 0 4 0

Agriculture, Grazing 0 0 0

Aquatic & Riparian 4961 0 1318

Cultural Resource 0 0 0

Domestic Water Use 4 0 0

Energy & Minerals 2 0 0


Operationally Limited 0 305 0

Plants 0 0 0

Recreation 0 0 0

Research/Monitoring 10 0 0

Transmission 0 54 0

Visual 108 39 0

Wildlife Habitat 15140 0 1794

*Acres in Table 2 and Table 3 include overlapping classifications.

District: Fiscal Year: 2016 Date: 01/13/2015

BOF CSL Partial CutClear-

cut

Con-

ifer

Hard-

woodsTotal Gross Projects Net

Aha Pataha 100% 0% Lane 2 0 81 3.7 0 3.7 $1,489,000 $148,000 $1,341,000

Bulmer 16 100% 0% Lane 2 0 54 2.7 0.0 2.7 $1,061,000 $111,000 $950,000

Wildcat Overlook 100% 0% Lane 3 0 29 0.8 0.0 0.8 $287,000 $25,000 $262,000

Total: 0 164 7.2 0.0 7.2 2,837,000$ 284,000$ 2,553,000$

Alternate Operations

Barber North 100% 0% Lane 0 48 0.7 0.2 0.9 $322,000 $67,000 $255,000

GM Thin 100% 0% Lane 142 0 1.1 0 1.1 $342,000 $55,000 $287,000

Skinny Bear 100% 0% Lane 99 25 1.5 0 1.5 $455,000 $91,000 $364,000

Speed Walker 100% 0% Lane 0 41 1.4 0.0 1.4 $484,000 $77,000 $407,000

Tilden Two 100% 0% Lane 0 72 1.3 0 1.3 $386,000 $41,000 $345,000

Net Acres Volume (MMBF) Value

TIMBER HARVEST OPERATIONS - FINANCIAL SUMMARY

CountySale

QuarterPrimary Operation

Fund %

Western Lane

District: Date:

Primary Harvest Operations

Un

it (

Op

tio

nal

)

Fore

st H

ealt

h Is

sues

1

Inva

sive

Sp

ecie

s

LYR

/OFS

Str

uct

ure

s 2

Lan

dca

pe

Des

ign

LYR

/OFS

3

Inst

all/

Rep

lace

Cu

lver

ts o

n

Fish

Bea

rin

g /

Per

enn

ial

Stre

ams

Har

vest

ing

wit

hin

10

0' o

f

Fish

Bea

rin

g St

ream

Do

mes

tic

Wat

er S

ou

rce

Po

ten

tial

Str

eam

Hab

itat

Imp

rove

men

t 4

Wit

hin

Aq

uat

ic A

nch

or

Wit

hin

Ter

rest

rial

An

cho

r

Op

erat

ing

wit

hin

a N

SO

Pro

vin

cial

Cir

cle

Wit

hin

1/4

mile

of

MM

MA

T&E

Fish

Ad

jace

nt

to

Har

vest

Un

it /

Hau

l Ro

ute

5

T&E

Pla

nts

Geo

tech

nic

al Is

sues

Nee

din

g Fi

eld

Rev

iew

Rec

reat

ion

Sit

es

Cu

ltu

ral R

eso

urc

es

Scen

ic R

eso

urc

es

Other Resources or Issues

Aha Pataha 1 x x x x x

Bulmer 16 1 x x x x

Wildcat Overlook 1 x x x x

1 A 'x' (in any column) indicates yes the resource or other issue occurs within or near the harvest operation and is addressed by the Pre-Operations Report

PRIMARY HARVEST OPERATIONS - FOREST RESOURCE SUMMARY

Western Lane Fiscal Year 2016

This table lists Forest Resources and other issues addressed within Pre-Operations Report due to their presence within or near harvest operations

12/02/2014

2 A 'x' indicates the harvest operation contains stands that are currently in a Layered or Older Forest Stand Structure

3 A 'x' indicate that the operation contains areas that have been designated for the development of complex forest stands

4 The final decision on these projects will occur during sale preparation and inconsultation with ODFW.

5 This table lists harvest operations (units or log haul routes) that are adjacent to streams that are known to contain T&E fish. The Pre-Operation Report identifies

whether T&E fish are present in the basin.

Alternate Harvest Operations

Un

it (

Op

tio

nal

)

Fore

st H

ealt

h Is

sues

1

Inva

sive

Sp

ecie

s

LYR

/OFS

Str

uct

ure

s 2

Lan

dca

pe

Des

ign

LYR

/OFS

3

Inst

all/

Rep

lace

Cu

lver

ts o

n

Fish

Bea

rin

g /

Per

enn

ial

Stre

ams

Har

vest

ing

wit

hin

10

0' o

f

Fish

Bea

rin

g St

ream

Do

mes

tic

Wat

er S

ou

rce

Po

ten

tial

Str

eam

Hab

itat

Imp

rove

men

t 4

Wit

hin

Aq

uat

ic A

nch

or

Wit

hin

Ter

rest

rial

An

cho

r

Op

erat

ing

wit

hin

a N

SO

Pro

vin

cial

Cir

cle

Wit

hin

1/4

mile

of

MM

MA

T&E

Fish

Ad

jace

nt

to H

arve

st

Un

it /

Hau

l Ro

ute

5

T&E

Pla

nts

Geo

tech

nic

al Is

sues

Nee

din

g

Fiel

d R

evie

w

Rec

reat

ion

Sit

es

Cu

ltu

ral R

eso

urc

es

Scen

ic R

eso

urc

es

Other Resources or Issues

Barber North 1 x

GM Thin 1 x

Skinny Bear 1,2,3&4 x

Speed Walker 1 x x x

Tilden Two 1 x x

Walker Tie 1&2 x x x x

2 A 'x' indicates the harvest operation contains stands that are currently in a Layered or Older Forest Stand Structure

3 A 'x' indicate that the operation contains areas that have been designated for the development of complex forest stands

4 The final decision on these projects will occur during sale preparation and inconsultation with ODFW.

5 This table lists harvest operations (units or log haul routes) that are adjacent to streams that are known to contain T&E fish. The Pre-Operation Report identifies

whether T&E fish are present in the basin.

ALTERNATE HARVEST OPERATIONS - FOREST RESOURCE SUMMARY

1 A 'x' (in any column) indicates yes the resource or other issue occurs within or near the harvest operation and is addressed by the Pre-Operations Report

This table lists Forest Resources and other issues addressed within Pre-Operations Report due to their presence within or near harvest operations

District: Western Lane Fiscal Year 2016 Date:

Total REG CSC UDS LYR OFS GEN LYR OFS

REG

CSC

UDS 164 164 164

LYR

OFS

Total 164 164 0 0 0 0 164 0 0

Post Harvest Structure Desired Future ConditionCurrent Structure

TIMBER HARVEST OPERATIONS - FOREST STRUCTURE SUMMARY12/02/2014

District: 2016 Date: 12/02/2014

Miles Cost Miles Cost

Aha Pataha 0.5 $49,000 1.9 $92,000 $7,000 $148,000 $1,489,000 9.9%

Bulmer 16 0.4 $40,000 2.7 $71,000 $20,000 $111,000 $1,061,000 10.5%

Wildcat Overlook 0.9 $25,000 0.0 $0 $0 $25,000 $287,000 8.7%

Total 1.8 $114,000 4.6 $163,000 $27,000 $284,000 $2,837,000 10.0%

Alternate Operations

Barber North 0.4 $61,000 0.0 $0 $6,000 $67,000 $322,000 20.8%

GM Thin 0.9 $44,000 0.3 $9,000 $2,000 $55,000 $342,000 16.1%

Skinny Bear 0.1 $8,000 2.0 $82,000 $1,000 $91,000 $455,000 20.0%

Speed Walker 0.2 $58,500 0.2 $8,000 $10,500 $77,000 $484,000 15.9%

Tilden Two 0.1 $8,000 3.5 $28,000 $11,000 $47,000 $386,000 12.2%

Walker Tie 0.0 $0 0.0 $0 $20,000 $20,000 $531,000 3.8%

Road Projects Not Funded by Harvest Operations

Miles Cost Miles Cost

Road Maintenance $10,000 FDF

$0

$0

$0

$0

$0

OperationConstruction Improvement

Other Projects

FOREST ROADS SUMMARY

Construction ImprovementOther Projects

Total Project

CostsOperation

Total Project

CostsFunding

Comments

Comments

Gross Value

of Operation

Total Cost as a

percent of Gross

Value

Western Lane

District: Fiscal Year: 2016 Date: 02/27/2015

ODF Funded Activities

Management Activity

Acres

Planned

Average

Cost*/Acre BOF Cost

Acres

Planned

Average

Cost*/Acre CSL Cost Total Acres Total Cost

Initial Planting 212 $280.00 $59,360.00 89 $280.00 $24,920.00 301 $84,280.00

Interplanting 75 $150.00 $11,250.00 $0.00 75 $11,250.00

Underplanting 0 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 0 $0.00

Tree Protection-Barriers 0 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 0 $0.00

Tree Protection-Direct Control 0 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 0 $0.00

Site Prep-Chemical- Aerial 0 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 0 $0.00

Site Prep-Chemical- Hand 212 $100.00 $21,200.00 89 $100.00 $8,900.00 301 $30,100.00

Site Prep -Slash Burning 0 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 0 $0.00

Site Prep -Mechanical 0 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 0 $0.00

Fertilization 0 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 0 $0.00

Noxious weeds 0 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 0 $0.00

Release-Chemical- Aerial 0 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 0 $0.00

Release,-Chemical-Hand 173 $75.00 $12,975.00 $0.00 173 $12,975.00

Release-Mechanical-Hand 0 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 0 $0.00

Precommercial Thinning 0 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 0 $0.00

Pruning 0 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 0 $0.00

Other $0.00 $0.00 0 $0.00

Totals 672 -- $104,785.00 178 -- $33,820.00 850 $138,605.00

*Planting costs include all costs including seedlings

Grant Funded Activities

Management Activity

Acres

Planned

Average

Cost*/Acre Cost

Acres

Planned

Average

Cost*/Acre Cost Total Acres Total Cost

$0.00 $0.00 0 $0.00

$0.00 $0.00 0 $0.00

$0.00 $0.00 0 $0.00

$0.00 $0.00 0 $0.00

Funding

Board of Forestry Common School Forest Lands

Western Lane

REFORESTATION AND YOUNG STAND MANAGEMENT SUMMARY

District

Board of Forestry Common School Forest Lands District

District: Fiscal Year: 2016 12/02/2014

ODF Other ODF Other

Facilities

Campsites Sites $0 None on District

Day Use Areas $0

Trailheads $0

Interpretive Sites $0

(Other) Sites $0

Trails None on District

Non-Motorized Miles $0

Motorized Miles $0

Total: $0

Comments

RECREATION MANAGEMENT SUMMARY

Improvement Cost

(Funding)

Construction

Cost (Funding)Unit of

MeasureOperation Current

Constr

uction

Project

Improvement

ProjectsTotal Cost

Western Lane

!.Mapleton Walton Noti

Veneta

AHA PATAHA (pri)

TILDEN TWO (alt)Highway 126

Highway 36

Territo

rial H

ighwa

y

SKINNY BEAR (alt)

BARBER NORTH (alt)

WILDCAT OVERLOOK (pri)GM THIN (alt)5 5

BULMER 16 (pri)

SPEED WALKER (alt) WALKER TIE (alt)

³

This product is for informational use and may not have been prepared for, or suitable for legal,

engineering, or surveying purposes.

Approximate Scale1 inch = 4 miles

0 2 4 6 81Miles

Legend!. Towns

Highways2016 SalesODF Ownership

VICINITY MAPFY 2016 AOP


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